Door sealing device



A -J 1952 H. M. DODGE DOOR SEALING-DEVICE Filed Aug. 20, 1949,

INVENTOR Howard M D'odge BY a f ATTORNEYS z Patented Aug. 19, 1952 2,s07,o9'1f] "f v noon SEALING DEVICE Howard M. Dodge, Wabash, 1nd assignor to The General Tire and Rubber Company, Akron, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio 7 Application August 20, 1949, Serial No. 111,376

This invention relates to door sealing devices for refrigerator doors or the like and particularly to a sealing device employing an elastic rubber sealing strip which is uniform in cross section and which may be formed by extrusion.

-In applying such sealing strips to doors of the character referred to, difficulty has been experienced in providing a seal that is effective at the comer portions of the door where angularly disposed portions of the sealing strip are joined. In door seals where mitered joints have been employed, the seal has been seriously impaired at the corners unless an integral corner joint is formed by means of a vulcanizing operation. Such a vulcanizing operation not only adds considerably to the cost of the seal, but necessitates the making of rectangular seals to fit every size ofdoor at the factory, which adds materially to the cost of handling and shipping.

vThe present invention has for its object to provide a filler strip which is so formed that it maybe notched to permit it to be bent to a small radius of curvature at door corners without materially impairing the seal at such corners. A further object of the invention is'to provide a sealing strip which is inexpensive, which is relatively lightweight, which can be shipped in strip form, and which can be quickly and easily applied to a door of any size.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention may be said to comprise the sealing devices illustrated in the accompanying drawings and hereinafter described together with such variations and modifications thereof as will be apparent to one skilled in the art to which the invention pertains.

Reference should be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevation showing the corner portion of a refrigerator door to which the sealing device of the present invention has been applied;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken. on the line indicated at 2-2 in Fig. 1;

7 Fig.3 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the sealing strip compressed between the door and the body of a refrigerator;

" Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the sealing strip showing the miter notches in a portion of the of curva- 9Claiins. (01. 20- 69) In the accompanying drawings the sealing de vice of the present invention is shown applied to a refrigerator door, the door being indicated by the reference character A, the body of the refrigerator to which the door is applied by the reference character B, and the sealing strip by the reference character C. The sealing strip Q is applied to-a marginal portion lof the inner face of the door A and engages with a flat face 2 on the body B of the refrigerator adjacent the door opening. The marginal inner face portion l of the, door isv provided with an inturned flange 3 and the central portion of the inner face of the door is formed by panel 4 which has an inturned flange 5 spaced inwardly from the flange 3.. A retaining structure 6 has a flange 1v received between the flanges 3 and 5." The flange 1 is attached to the flange 3 by suitablemeans such as screws 8. I V The retaining structure 6 is spaced inwardly from the marginal edge of the door A and has a shape corresponding to that of the door, portions of the structure extending parallel to theside and end edges of the door and the structure having a retaining flange 9 which extends outwardly from the flange 1 parallel with the 'face'portion l'of thedoor. The flange 9 extends along the sides and around the corners of the retaining structure or frame. If desired, the structure 6 may be formed of straight angle bars mitered to abut at the corners and provide a continuous flat retaining flange. v r

The sealing strip C has a base flange l0 which is clamped between the retaining flange 9 and the marginal face portion l of the door. The sealing strip has a seating face I l which is formed in part by the exterior face of the flange [0. The flange I0 may be provided with a bead I! at its free edge which seats in a recess l3 at the inner edge of theface portion l of the door. The seating face ll extends outwardly beyond the outer edge of the retaining flange 9 and forms the base of a cushioning flange l 4 which is relatively thick adjacent its base and tapers from the base. The cushioning flange M has an outer receding inclined face 15 and an inner face portion I6 which is substantially perpendicular to the base flange 10. The outer portion of the cushioning flange I4 is curved outwardly from the inclined face l5 and inwardly toward said face to provide the striker bead I1 which has a free edge l8= that is collapsible into engagement with the inclined face l5 when the sealing strip is pressed against the face 2 of the refrigerator body, the striker bead l'lbeing disposed outwardly. of the outer edge of I9 and base flange I are preferably so formed I that they normally converge toward their free edges, as shown in Fig. 5.

In applying the sealing strip to a door, the miter notches and 2! are cut in the flanges l0 and E9, the apices of these notches terminat- 4 having edges, corners and marginal faces extending substantially to the corners and edges, means on the door providing retaining flanges substan tially paralleling and spaced from the marginal faces, said flanges having free edges directed toward the edges of the door, and a sealing strip of resilient deformable material having base flange means]"disposedfbetween the, retaining flanges-and the marginal "faces of 'thadoor, the sealing strip including a relatively thick cushioning portion integral with the flange means, the cushioning portion of the strip comprising a hollow flange substantially C-shaped in section having av longitudinal opening along one side, said opening facing toward the adjacent edges of the "door, the sealing strip being bent about the reing adjacent the cushioning flange l4. 'Thg'two notches 2H and 2| are superimposed in alignment with one another and have an angula'rity such that the opposite edges of the notches abut when the strip is bent around the corner portion of the retaining structure 6, as shown in Fig. 1.

Since the cushioning portionof the sealing strip is disposed outwardly of the notches 28 and 21, and since the strip is formed of elastic rubber, the cushioning portion of the strip can be bent around the corner portion of the retaining structure. The bending of the cushioning strip around the corner of the retaining structure creates a slight distortion of the striker bead I! at the corner, as shown in Fig. 1, but this portion of the striker bead is readily pressed into substantially the same form as the remainder of the striker bead when the door is swung to the closed position shown in Fig. 3, providing a seal that continues around the corner portions and maintaining substantially the same pressure between the striker bead and the face 2 of the refrigerator body at the corners, as in the straight portions of the sealing strip. I

' It is to be understood that variations'an'd modiflcations of the specific devices herein shown and described for purposes of illustration, may be made without departing from the spirit of the in-- vention.

What I claim is:

1; In combination in a refrigerator door structure or the like, the structure including adoor having edges, corners and marginal faces extendingsubstantially to the corners and edges, means on the door providing retaining flanges substantially paralleling and spaced from the marginal faces, said flanges having free edges directed'toward the edges of the door, 'and a sealing strip of resilient deformable material having base flange .means disposed between the retaining flanges and the marginal iaces'of the door, the sealing trip including a relatively thick cushioning portion integral with theflange means, the cushioning portionof the strip comprising a hollow flange substantially C-shaped in section having a longitudinal opening along one side, said opening'facing toward the adjacent edges of the door, and thesealing strip, being bent about the retaining flange means adjacent the corners of the'door whereby the hollow, flange of the cushioningportion partially collapses inwardly at the bends to eifect a relative raising of the bent portion of the strip above the marginal faces of the door.

2. In combination in arefrigerator fdoor struc-, ture or the like, the structure "including a door ta-ining flange means adjacent the corners of the door whereby the hollow flange of the cushioning portion partially collapses inwardly at the bends to effect a relative raising of the bent portion of the stripjabove,themarginal faces of the door, and the strip hay-ing an integral bracing flange connected to the cushioning portion-along the length .of the latter and disposed in overlying relation to theretaining flange means. i

3. In combinationin a refrigerator door structure or the like, the structure including a door having edges, corners and marginal faces extending substantially to the corners and edges, means on the door providing retaining flanges substantially parallelinga'nd spaced from the marginal faces, said flanges having free edges directed to-v wardthe edges of the door, and a sealing strip of resilient deformable material having. a cushioning portion comprising a hollowflange formed with a longitudinal opening along one side, an integral flange extending from the "cushioning portion and received between the retaining flanges and the marginal faces of the door, the longitudinal opening being opposite the-integral flange of the "strip and facing toward th'ead ja'cent edges of the door, and the sealing strip being bent about the retaining flange means adjacent the corners of the door whereby the hollow flange of the cushioning portion partially collapses inwardly at the bends 'to effectsa relative raising of the bent portion of the strip abovethe marginal faces ofth'e door. V

i. A flexible sealing strip OfIIllbbBTeiikl-l vma terialfor refrigerator doors and the like, said strip comprising a base'flange having innerand outer edges and a seating face on one sidethereof, a. cushioning flangeextending'generally ,trans versely from the opposite side, of said base. flange from said seating faceat the outer edge-thereof and spaced from the inner edge thereof,;.said cushioning flange, for a portion of its width adjacentsaid base. flange, having. an -;outer face that recedes inwardly at an acute angle with .the seating. face of the base flange and having an inner face-substantially normal to said seating face, said cushioning flangefover the remainder of its width, curving continuously to the free edge thereof, first outwardly andthen inwardly-to-v ward, but short of, bothsaidre'ceding face and the plane of said seating face'to forma striker bead having anoutwardly opening c-shapeiicom figuration, the degree of curvature being. such thatdeflection of saidstriker head toward the plane of Isa'idseating face will move the free edge of the cushioning flange against the outer ,reced: ins f tb eo 5. A sealing; strip according to claim, 4 in which said cushioning flange cu'rves outwardly. beyond the outer edge of the base flange before curving inwardly toward said receding face.

6. A flexibl sealing strip of rubber-like material for refrigerator doors and the like, said strip comprising a base flange having inner and outer edges and a seating face on one side thereof, a cushioning flange extending generally transversely from the opposite side of said base flange from said seating. face at the outer edge thereof and spaced from the inner edge thereof, said cushioning flange, for a portion of its width adjacent said base flange, having an outer face that recedes inwardly at an acute angle with the seating face of the base flange and having an inner face substantially normal to said seating face, said cushioning flange, over the remainder of its width, curving continuously to the free edge thereof, first outwardly and then inwardly toward, but short of, both said receding face and the plane of said seating face to form a striker bead having an outwardly opening C-shaped configuration, the degree of curvature being such that deflection of said striker bead toward the plane of said seating face will move the free edge of the cushioning flange against the outer receding face thereof, and a bracing flange extending generally inwardly from the inner face of said cushioning flange in spaced relation with said base flange so as to define a slot therebetween to receive a mounting flange of a door.

7. A sealing strip according to claim 6 in which said base flange and said bracing flange extend inwardly in converging relation.

8. A sealing strip according to claim 6 in which said cushioning flange curves outwardly beyond the outer edge of the base flange before curving inwardly toward said receding face.

9. A flexible sealing strip of rubber-like material for refrigerator doors and the like, said strip comprising a base flang having inner and outer edges and a seating face on one side thereof, a cushioning flange extending generally transverse- 1y from the opposite side of said base flange from said seating face at the outer edge thereof and spaced from the inner edge thereof, said. cushioning flange, for a portion of its width adjacent said base flange, having an outer face that an outwardly opening C-shaped configuration,

the degree of curvature being such that deflection of said striker bead toward the plane of said seating face will move the free edge of the cushioning flange against the outer receding face thereof, and a bracing flange extending generally inwardly from the 1111161 face of said cushioning flange in spaced relation with said base flange so as to define a slot therebetween to receive a mounting flange of a door.

HOWARD M. DODGE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS I Number Name Date 2,091,791 Newman Aug. 31, 1937 2,232,570 Spraragen Feb. 18, 1941 2,294,101 Tripp Aug. 25, 1942 2,406,629 Petkwitz Aug. 27, 1946 2,555,780 Bright June 5, 1951 

